Reader contributions
Food is Free is coming to us
Carol Woolcock reports that The Rotary Club of Warrandyte Donvale Op Shop has started a Food is Free initiative. They receive donations from various local retail food outlets plus from the general public. Anyone can take what they need. They are open 7 days a week. When Carol called in with some herbs and lettuces they had eggs, bread and lots of veggies and fruit.
Proposed visual map website for community groups
Margot Meredith is one of five volunteers who have recently completed a Community Leadership in Sustainability course and have now teamed up to develop a centralised online website for use by local community groups in the Darebin, Banyule and Nillumbik areas to list their details and advertise their events. As a first step, they are asking groups to complete a survey. Through this, they hope to identify the current online and social media presence of groups and ways in which they can assist groups to enhance their online presence, reach their audiences more efficiently, communicate with each other and with external audiences, and easily update their information. Please consider completing the survey and forwarding it to other groups you know of which might benefit from this project.
If you have questions or for further information, contact them by email or Katherine by phone (0439 652680) or Eng by phone (0410 036775).
Local food business models
Robyn has provided a link to an article discussing a classification scheme of local food business models.
Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA) articles by Richard Lee and myself
Published during June:
-
Soil Blocks – Starting Seedlings Organically by Richard Lee (KABUU): everything you might want to know about how to use soil blocks to grow seedlings.
- Farmers’ Markets by yours truly: what is a farmers’ market, why you should consider going to a farmers’ market, and what are the problems with current farmer’s markets? A slightly updated version of this article, with more local content, can be found on the LFC website.
New events
How to grow your own herbal tea
What: Enjoy a hot cup of tea at the garden and take home a herbal tea seedling. Everyone is welcome. BYO mug.
When: Sunday, 14th June, 11am-midday.
Where: Polaris Community Garden, Bundoora.
Cost: free.
Enquiries/Bookings: Facebook event.
Further information: Facebook event.
Safer pest controls
What: Learn safe and economical ways to keep those pesky pests under control and how to invite the good ones in. Bookings are essential.
When: Sunday, 21st June, 2-4pm.
Where: Whittlesea Community Activity Centre.
Cost: free.
Enquiries/Bookings: Megan by phone (0407 699755) or email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.
Seed saving
What: Learn how to close the loop in your garden by saving seeds from veggies that you have grown yourself. Maria, from My Green Garden, will look at the easiest seeds to save, and the ones that are a little more complicated. Some seed-sowing will also be done on the day. Refreshments will be provided and bookings are essential.
When: Wednesday, 8th July, 10am-midday.
Where: Mill Park Baptist Church.
Cost: not specified.
Enquiries/Bookings: Pauline by phone (0405 605011) or email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.
If you know of any events that could usefully be included in the newsletter and website, email us. If you have a flyer, we can also include that. Just one request: please make sure that the details are in a form that we can copy/paste (i.e. not just a jpg).
Upcoming events from previous LFC News
Over the next week
- Grafting fruit trees: Wednesday, 10th June, 7.30am-9.30pm.
- Composting and worm farming: Thursday, 11th June, 10.30am-12.30pm.
- Foray into fungi: Saturday, 13th June, 9.30am-midday.
- Taste, experience and learn about bushfoods: Saturday, 13th June, 10am-midday.
- How to grow your own herbal tea: Sunday, 14th June, 11am-midday.
- How to grow and cook Winter Asian vegetables: Sunday, 14th June, 2-5pm.
- Getting the most from your winter harvest: Tuesday 16th June, 10.30-11.30am.
Over the next month
- Setting up and maintaining a worm farm: Friday, 19th June, 10.30am-12.30pm.
- Winter Wine Fest 2015: Saturday, 20th June, 11am-5pm.
- Winter Wine Fest 2015: Sunday, 21st June, 11am-5pm.
- Safer pest controls: Sunday, 21st June, 2-4pm.